Training device for golfers



1954 A. E. NEWGREN TRAINING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1951 INVEN TOR. I

Oct. 5, 1954 A. E. NEWGREN TRAINING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1951 anoo 00000 INVENTOR. ARV/O E NEWGREM BY 9/ Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates generally to a training or practising device for golfers and more particularly to a device for correctly positioning the different parts of the body of a golfer while swinging different type golf clubs.

There are certain essentials necessary in swinging a golf club if any degree of accuracy is to be obtained. The most important thing in golf is to learn to perform correct swing motions consistently. Some of the essentials of a proper golf swing are the stiffening of the left side of the body with a straight left arm during the downswing, maintaining the head downwardly with the eyes directly on the ball during the downswing, a correct stance by maintaining the feet a correct distance apart without the toes pointing too far outwardly, the follow-through of the club after the impact, the co-ordination of different parts of the body such as the hips, legs, arms, hands, and wrists during the swing, the positioning of the body and shifting from the right to the left foot during the swing, the shifting or twisting of the hips, and a balanced body. A swing must be through and along an intended line of direction which must include the follow-through.

To become consistent, it is necessary that a golfer practise so that his body assumes the same positions so that his swing is through and along an intended line of direction for the particular club used. The ball must also be placed in a predetermined position in front of the feet in using different clubs.

It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a training device for golfers for perfecting the swing of golfers which is simple in construction, economical in cost, economical in manufacture, and efficient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a training device for golfers which directs the swing of a golf club through and along an intended line of direction throughout the entire swing while holding the head in a downward position in a direction towards the ball, and with further means for positioning the feet and the trunk and legs of the body.

Another object of my invention is to provide a practising device for golfers with means for placing the ball at different positions in using different golf clubs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel adjustable hood on a training device for golfers for holding the head of a golfer in a proper position during the swing of a golf club.

Another object of my invention is to provide a practising device with means for balancing the body during the swing of a golfer.

Another object of my invention is to provide a practising device for golfers which guides the hands and arms of the golfer While making a full swing of a golf club without any interference with the arms, legs, or body of the golfer.

Another object of my invention is to provide a training device for golfers which may be adjusted vertically and laterally to accommodate diiferent sizes of golfers and which has means for adjusting the spread and other relative positions of the feet in using different types of clubs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a training device for golfers which maintains the body, legs, head, and arms of a golfer in predetermined correct positions during the swing of a golf club.

Another object of my invention is to provide a practising device for golfers which permits movement of the hips, shifting of the body from one foot to the other, and any other necessary body movements while permitting a full guided swing of a golf club.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the vertically adjustable bracket on my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a foot adjusting member for use on my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base of my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the buttocks positioning member of my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified form of hood and the adjustable support therefor of my novel training device for golfers;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the hood and support therefor shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the hood and support therefor shown in Fig. '7; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of another type of support therefor shown in Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive a base or platform l which may be in one solid piece or it may be hinged'longitudinally thereof to make it more easily transportable. An annular flange 2 is secured on the platform I by screw members 2a and it has nested and supported therein a vertically extending tubular member 3 secured by a locking screw 4. A right angled extension 5 is telescopically disposed in the upper end of the tubular member 3 and it is secured in predetermined vertical positions by the split clamp 6 with a screw bolt 1. An ofiset support rod 8 is telescopically disposed and slidable in the upper right angled end of the extension 5 and it is secured therein by a split clamp =9 secured together by a screw member II]. An inverted cup shaped hood [2 is supported on the outer end of the adjustable rod 8 for receiving the back of a head of a person as shown in Fig. 1.

A bracket I3, particularly shown in Fig. 2, has a vertically extending aperture it through which extends the vertical portions of the extension 5. The bracket I3 may also be mounted on the tubular member 3. The bracket 13 is secured on the extension 5 by a locking screw 2|. The bracket 13 has vertically spaced, laterally extending apertures l5 and I6 for slidably receiving the ends l1 and I3 of Y-shaped support rods l9 and 20 which support arcuate shaped guiding members 22 and 23 having the general appearance of parentheses. The guiding members 22 and 23 are opposed to each other and they are adjustable towards or away from each other by movement of the ends I! and [8 of the support rods l9 and 20 in the apertures l5 and 16. The ends I! and I8 of the support rods l9 and 20 are secured in the apertures l5 and [6 in the bracket l3 by the locking screws 24 and 25. The arcuate shapes of the members 22 and 23 are such as to simulate the correct are through which a golf club should be swung in hitting a golf ball. The back or sides of the hands or wrists of the golfer engage the guiding members 22 and 23 during the swing. The bracket I 3 has a laterally bossed portion 26 with a vertically extending aperture 2'! for slidably receiving a supporting rod 28, the supporting rod 28 having an enlarged head 29 on the lower end thereof with a transversely extending aperture for slidably receiving a horizontally movable supporting rod 30 with a cross piece 31 secured to the outer end thereof for engaging the lower portion of the buttocks of a golfer to position the body in a predetermined position during the swing of the golf club. The supporting rod 30 is horizontally adjustable and is secured in different positions by a locking screw 32 in the enlarged head 29 on the vertically adjustable rod 28.

For maintaining the stance of a person in swinging a particular golf club, I provide oppositely disposed, adjustable foot guiding members 33 secured to opposite sides of the platform I. Both of the foot guiding members 33 are the same and comprise a supporting bracket 34 secured to the platform I by screw members 35 and have an apertured portion 36 for slidably receiving a rod 3'! secured to the bracket 34 by a locking screw 38. The rod 31 has an enlarged head 39 with a transversely extending aperture 40 for slidably receiving a right angled rod 4|, the rod 41 being locked in predetermined positions in the enlarged head 39 by a locking screw 42. The rod 31 is, therefore, adjustable outwardly or inwardly to increase or decrease the spacing apart of the feet in making a golf swing and the rod 4| is movable in the aperture 40 of the enlarged head 39 to adjust the members 33 to position the feet closer to or further away from the ball by touching the toes of the shoes on the front ends 43 of the rods 4|. It will be noted that my foot positioning members 33 permit the rolling of the feet on the balls thereof without interference.

I show a slightly raised platform 50 on the platform I having spaced apertures 5| for receiving tees or any like supporting member for a golf ball to position the golf ball in different positions with relation to the foot guiding members 33 in using different types of clubs in my novel practising device for golfers.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, I show a hood having laterally extending shafts 6| with enlarged heads 62 secured thereto. The shafts 6| are slidably disposed for vertical movement in slots 69 in brackets 68 secured to the outer end of wishboned brackets 63. The wishboned brackets B3 are carried on a support rod 65 which is adjustably supported in a transverse aperture in a vertical supporting column 66 and secured therein by a locking screw 31. An oval shaped support band 54 surrounds the body of the hood 60 and it has longitudinally extending slots 63a on the sides thereof through which the shafts 6| project. The body of the hood 60 is secured to the supporting band 66 by springs 10. It will thus be evident that When the head of a person is disposed in the hood 50, it may move vertically or horizontally because of the permissible movement of the shafts Si in the slots 64a and 69. The hood 6B tilts on the shafts 6|. Suitable loops H are provided on the body of the hood B0 to which a strap (not shown) may be disposed for securing the hood 60 tightly on the player's head.

Fig. 10 shows a support for a hood substantially the same as the one shown in Fig. 7. A wishboned support member 83 has outwardly extending shafts 32 movable vertically in vertically extending slots 19 in brackets 18 secured to a band 15 surrounding a hood as shown in Fig. '7. The brackets 18 have a lower portion 76 attached to the band 15 with a horizontally extending slot 77 through which extends the transversely extending shafts 81 corresponding to the shafts 61 in Fig. 7. It will be evident that this form of support will provide horizontal as well as vertical movement for the hood.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that my novel practising device for golfers provides novel arcuate shaped guides for guiding the arms and hands of a golfer through the downswing and in the follow-through, it makes the golfer extend his left arm out straight in order for the wrist or parts of the hand to touch the guiding member 22 by adjusting the member 22 outwardly to a predetermined position, the follow-through is predetermined by adjusting the follow-through guide member 23 a predetermined distance from the support member, the body motions are co-ordinated by guiding the hands and arms during the swing, adjustable means are provided for keeping the head downwardly and the eyes directed on the ball during the downswing, adjustable means are provided for engaging the back of the lower portion of the body to position the body in a predetermined position, adjustable means are provided for positioning the feet of a golfer in a predetermined position, means are provided for positioning a ball in a predetermined position with relation to the feet during the use of different clubs in a golf swing, and all of the aforesaid are such as not to interfere with the free movement of the hands,

feet, hips, or other body parts during the golf swing.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A training device for golfers comprising a platform, a vertically extending support on said platform, vertically and laterally adjustable, arcuate shaped opposed wrist engaging guiding members having a length equal to approximately one-half the height of the average man and having the general appearance of parentheses, means for securing said arcuate members to said support in spaced relation thereto, said spacing being sufiicient to allow a golfer to stand between said support and said guide members during the downswing and follow through of a golf, club, and foot positioning members on said platform spaced below said arcuate members for positioning the feet in predetermined positions relative to the wrists.

2. The training device recited in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said guiding members to said support comprises a vertically adjustable bracket mounted on said support, said bracket having vertically spaced laterally extending apertures, and Y-shaped support rods having ends slidably mounted in said apertures in said bracket, said Y-shaped rods being attached to said arcuate members.

3. The training device recited in claim 1 wherein an inverted hood is disposed in spaced relation to said arcuate guide members and means is secured to said hood and to said support whereby said hood is supported adjacent the upper portions of said arcuate guide members and spaced further from said support than said guide means to position the head of a golfer relative to the wrists during the training of the golfer. 5 4. The training device recited in claim 3 wherein a laterally extending body engaging member is attached to said support and adjustably spaced from said platform and from said arcuate guide members, said laterally extending member being between said guide members and said support and being adapted to engage a rear portion of the body of the golfer to limit the movement of the body relative to the wrists and head during training.

5. The training device recited in claim 1 wherein a locating means for a golf ball having a plurality of spaced apertures is disposed on said platform, said arcuate guide means being spaced above said locating means and nearer said support than said locating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1922 Number Number 

